Stamp-attacher



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet'L G. W. HEY.

STAMP ATTAGHEB.

No. 600,531. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

WITNESSES:

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(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. W. HEY. STAMP ATTAOHER.

No. 600,531. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

fm: gwnms PETERS c0. Pnomumo. wuumamn. B1 c 5 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

G. W. HEY. STAMP ATTAOHER.

Patented Mar. 15, 1898.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. W. HEY. STAMP ATTAGHER.

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5 SheetsSheet 5.

(No Model.)

G. W. HEY.

STAMP ATTAGHER. No. 600,531. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

N ENTOR BY aktiw/fiwd ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

iEORGE HEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK STAM P-ATTACH ER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 600,531, dated March 15, 1898.

Application filed December 29, 1892. Renewed July 19, 1897. Serial No. 645,167. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. HEY, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Attachers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in stamp-attachers, and has for its object the production of a simple, practical, and effective device for attaching postage and other stamps to letters and similar articles; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the component parts of a stamp-attacher, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved stamp-attacher,its parts being shown as in their normal position and a strip of stamps as operatively engaged by the stamp-feeder. Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations of my invention similar to Fig. 1, parts of the stamp-attacher shown at Fig. 1 being broken away and the other parts shown in elevation at Fig. 1 being shown in section at said figures, the component parts of my invention being shown at Fig. 2 as in their position assumed when the presser-piece is in contact with the platen for supporting the stamps and at Fig. 3 as in their position assumed when the stamp is being pressed upon the letter or other article. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 of the central portion of my stamp-attacher, the roller or stamp-engaging piece of the moistening device being removed for the purpose of illustrating the adjacent parts. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the central portion of my stamp-attacher, taken on line 6 6, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7 7, Fig. 1. Figs. 8 and 9 are horizontal sections taken, respectively, on lines 8 8, Fig. 1, and 9 9, Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a horizontal detail section taken on line 10 10, Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a detail horizontal section taken on line 11 11, Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the platen, adjacent portions of the upright of the frame, the clamp for holding the stamps in engagement with the platen, and the bracket for supporting the clamp. Fig. 13 isadetail section taken on line 13 13, Fig. 11; and Fig. 1a is an isometric view of the detached clamp for engaging the stamps and the spring and supporting-bracket for said clamp.

The frame A of my invention may be of any desirable form, size, and construction and is here illustrated as composed of a base A and an upright A having a projecting guide A on its front face a. The guide A is formed by ribs A A projecting from the front face a of the upright A and by the portion of the front face a of said upright in" terposed between said ribs, and a plate A secured by screws or othersuitable fastening means a to the front face of the ribs A A B is a plunger or movable operating-piece movable in the guide A and as the guide A is rectangular in cross-section the plunger B is of corresponding cross-section. It will be readily understood, however, that the guide A may be otherwise formed and that the opcrating-piece or plunger B may be of any desirable form, size, and construction to move freely within the guide A. The plunger B is formed with an internal chamber B for receiving a spiral spring Z) and consists of the central section 13*, the presser piece or foot B and the hand-piece or head 13.

A suitable rod b is passed through the spring Z2 and is screw-threaded at its opposite ends for retaining the spring in position and for securing the upper and lower sections of the plunger to the central section thereof. The rear wall of the plunger B is formed with a lengthwise slot 17 within which projects a stationary lug or arm a secured to the front face a of the upright A for supporting the lower extremity of the spring I). This arm a is formed with a perforation a through which the rod b is passed, and as the plunger is de pressed the rod bmoves freely through the perforation a and the spring I) is compressed between the arm or lug a and the bottom face of the top section B of the plunger B. This particular form of plunger is easily manufactured and assembled in operative position, is strong and durable in use, and is pleasing in appearance.

The guideway C, through which the stamps are fed, is of any desirable form, size, and construction and is provided with a rectilinear feeding end 0, (here shown as formed with a depending arm c',) mounted on a projection a extending upwardly from the base A, and as arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, although it is evident that said feeding end may be arranged in an inclined plane. The opposite end 0 ofthe guideway 0 extends upwardly above the feeding end 0 and is removably secured to said feeding end 0 by screws or other suitable fastening means 0 The feeding end cof the guideway O is substantially rectangular in cross-section and is formed with a lengthwise slot 0 in its top wall for permitting the entrance of the stamp-en gaging piece of the stamp-feeder, (presently described,) and the opposite end- 0 of the guideway 0 consists of a substantially rectangular tube formed with an inletopening (3 at its extreme end and with a second inlet-opening C in its inner face.

The stamps are either fed in strips of limited length or are fed from a reel in a continuous strip. When desired to feed strips of limited length, they are passed through the opening C along the gnideway C untilthe first stamp l projects beyond the front edge of said guideway, as best seen at Fig. l. The rear end of the strip of stamps then hangs downwardly along an upright arm 0 at the outside of the opposite end 0 of the guideway C, as shown at Fig. 1, and as the strip is fed forwardly its rear end passes over a curved bar C at the upper end of the arm 0 and downwardly through the opening 0 and the ends 0 c of the guideway C.

The stamp strips of limited length are conveniently arranged upon any suitable support, as an arm D, projecting from the opposite face of the upright A and formed with lower and upper lugs d d cl, around which the strips are coiled, as shown at Fig. 1. hen desired to feed the stamps continu ously in a single strip, they are coiled upon a suitable reel D, and the feeding end of the strip is passed within the opening 0 in the inner wall of the outer end 0 of the guideway G, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. 1. This reel D is of any desirable form, size, and construction and may be supported in any desired manner upon the frame A, as by an arm D projecting from the adjacent face of the upright A A movable plate 0 is arranged in a lengthwise depression or groove C in the front end of the base of the feeding end a of the guideway 0. Said plate O is provided with lengthwise grooves C in its top face and with a cutting edge C which forms, essentially, the front edge of said feeding end a. A suitable adjusting device 0 operates to move the plate 0 longitudinally and preferably consists of a screw 0 having one end movably mounted in a downturned lug 0 provided upon the lower side of the feeding end 0, and its other end passed through a downturned lug 0 provided upon the rear end of the plate C A head is formed upon the screw 0 and bears against the outer face of the lug c which is movable in a slot 0 in the lower wall of the feeding end 0 and is adjusted toward and away from the lug as the screw 0 is moved inwardly or outwardly.

The plate 0 is firmly secured in its adjusted position by a'suitable clamp 0 consisting of a bolt 0 having one end secured to the plate 0 and its other end passed through a slot 0 in the lower wall of the feeding end 0 and provided with a nut 0 movable on the outer end of said bolt.

0 0 are springs arranged on opposite sides of the slot 0 within the feeding end 0 for forcing the stamps against the upper face of the lower wall of said feeding end. The upper ends of these springs are secured by suitable fastening means 0 0 to the under face of the top wall of said feeding end a, and their lower ends are bent downwardly and are arranged in close proximity to the inner extremity of said feeding end.

The feeder for feeding the stamps successively consists, essentially, of an actuatinglever E, a cross-head E, and stamp-engaging pieces E The lever E is pivoted at E to the arm D and is formed with a pair of downwardly-extending arms E E arranged at an angle with each other, the arm E being provided with a bearing-roller E and the arm E with a lengthwise slot E The roller E engages the sides of a slot or camway 13 which is formed in the front face of the plunger or operating-piece B and is provided at its lower end with the upright portions B B arranged one above the other on opposite sides of the center of the front face of the plunger and with the inclining portion B connecting the adjacent ends of the upright portions B B The lever E is shown in its operative position at Fig. l, and as the plunger moves downwardly, as shown at Fig. 2, the roller E is forced laterally from the upper end of the upright position B of the slot B to the base of the upright portion 13 of said slot and rocks the lever E upon its pivot. As will be presently described, the plunger B is then in its position assumed when the front stamp Z is about to be severed from the remainder of the stamp strip, and as the plunger B continues its downward movement the roller E continues to register with the portion B of the slot 13 without rocking the lever E. As the plunger 13 assumes its normal position the lever E is also forced to its normal position, as shown at Fig. 1.

The cross-head E is movable lengthwise of the feeding end 0 of the guideway O for the stamp strip, and, as best seen at Figs. 7 and 11, is formed with a central contracted portion a, movable in the slot and with lips e at its longitudinal edges bearing upon the upper and lower faces of the separated portions of the top wall of the feeding end, arranged on opposite sides-of the slot C. Projecting upwardly above the cross-head E are ears (2 for receiving a pin 6 movable in the slot E of the lever E. Consequently as the lever E is rocked on its pivot E the crosshead E is reciprocated along the feeding end 0 of the guideway O for the stamp strip. I preferably provide the feeder for the stamps with a number of stamp-engaging pieces arranged side by side, and, as best seen at Figs. 2, 3, S, and 9, each of these stamp-engaging pieces consists of a lever which is pivoted at e to the forward end of the cross-head E and is form ed with a forwardly-extending weighted arm e arranged normally in the path of the pressenpiece 1-3 and with a depending projection or lug 6, extending downwardly beneath the cross-head through the slot 0 and adapted to engage the strip of stamps within the feeding-guideway O.

The weighted arm (2 of each of these stampengaging pieces normally depresses the corresponding projection 6 into engagement with the strip of stamps, and each of said projections is formed with a curved. outer side 6 in order that as the cross-head E is reciprocated backwardly or outwardly upon the depression of the operating-piece or plunger B said projections e may slide along the strip of stamps without operatively engaging the same. Moreover, it will be evident that the springs e e tend to prevent the retraction of the stamp strip as the cross-head E is moved outwardly, since the outer end of the strip is engaged by said springs. On the contrary, as the upward movement of the plunger or operating-piece B,effected by the spring 1), rocks the lever E and retracts the crosshead E inwardly to its normal position, as shown at Fig. 1, the projections e operatively engage the stamp strip and feed the same forwardly along the feeding end 0. This operative engagement of the stamp engaging pieces E with the stamp is facilitated by means of suitable springs e for forcing downwardly the weighted arms 6 of said engaging pieces and by alining said projections e with the rectangular grooves C in the plate 0 as clearly seen at 9. The projections e are designed to enter the perforations between the adjacent edges of the stamps, and consequently the cross-head E is reciprocated a distance equal to the length of one of the stamps to be fed through the guideway O and is limited in its movement bya suitable stop G upon the guideway O, which engages stop-shoulders c c upon the cross-head E.

lVhen the cross-head E is in its normal position, as shown at Fig. 1, the projections c are normally at the edge O of the plate C, and the arms 6 of the stamp-engaging pieces E are normally in the path of the presserpiece of the lower section of the plunger 13,

and as the plunger descends to affix the stamp the cross-head E is forced outwardly, so that its projections e engage with the perforations just at the rear of the stamp behind the forward stamp Z, which extends beyond the edge C As the plunger continues its descent the forward stamp is clipped off and affixed in position, and as the plunger assumes its normal position the stamp in advance of the projections e is fed forwardly, so as to project beyond the edge 0 It is therefore evident that my improved feeder supplies the stamps successively to the presser-piece for affixing the stamps in position, and to one skilled in the art it is evident that this feeder is simple in construction and practical and effective in operation.

F is the cutter for severing'the projecting stamp from the strip of stamps before the affixion of said stamp in its position upon the letter or other article to which it is to be applied. This cutter preferably consists of a cutting-blade secured to the plunger B and having an inclined edge f, shearing by the edge 0 of the adjustable plate 0 In order that the plunger B may support the knife F in close proximity to the cutting edge 0 I provide my invention with a gib 19 which is forced by a suitable clamping means b against the face of said plunger directly opposite to the face provided with the cutter F. As has been previously described, the stamp engaging pieces of the feeder, although normally in the path of the cutter, are forced out of said path by the movement of the lever E, and it will be evident that, as clearly shown at Fig. 2, these stamp-en gaging pieces E are forced out of the path of the cutter F before said cutter reaches the plane normally occupied by said engaging pieces.

The a'ffixion of the stamps in position is facilitated by a platen G, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, which preferably consists of a laterally-bent end upon a sliding bar g, guided in ways a a in the upright A The bar 9 is provided with an outwardly-projecting lug g, movable lengthwise of an upright bar g having its lower end suitably secured to the base-plate A of the frame A. Surrounding this bar g with one end bearing against the top face of the base A and its other end bearing against the lower face of the lug or arm g, is a spring 9 which forces the platen G to its normal position, and thereby slightly elevates the same above the plane normally occupied by the stamp l, projecting beyond the edge C of the feeding-guideway C.

To facilitate the movement of the platen G, the front wall of the upright A is formed with a slot A", Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, and the upper edge of this slot normally engages with the upper face of the platen and limits the upward movement of the same. The presser piece 13 is directly above the platen G, and as the plunger or operating-piece l3 continues its downward movement from its position shown at Fig. 2 to its position shown at Fig.

ICO I IIO 3 the platen is engaged by the presser-piece and is forced downwardly against the spring gicarrying with it the severed stamp arranged beneath the platen. In order to prevent injury to the letter or other article to which the stamp isaffixed, the platen is formed on its under face with a yielding plate G, of rubber or other suitable material.

H is a stop for limiting the forward movement of the advancing stamp and facilitating its practical downward feeding to the letter or other article to which said stamp is to be attached. This stop preferably consists of a bar rectilinearly movable in a guide G in the platen G and having its lower end project ing normally below the lower face of said platen. I is a clamp, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 11, and 14,

for engaging the advancing end of the stamp beneath the platen G, and as preferably constructed this clamp consists of a pair of yielding arms 2 'i and a supporting-bracket t". The arms i t register with longitudinal grooves G G formed in the right-hand side of the under face of the platen G upon opposite sides of the stop- H. The bracket 11 normally engages with a stop I on the upright A is hinged at i to cars projecting from the upper face of the platen G, and is formed with a cross-bar i arranged directly above a projection it upon the stop H.

' The spring-arms t 'i, as clearly seen at Figs. 4, 5, 11, and 14:, are rigidly secured to a pivotal pin i journaled in the outer depressed end of the bracket 71', and the outer springarm t is engaged by one end of a spring i encircling said pin 1' and having its other end bearing upon the top face of the crossbar i of said bracket 1'. The pin t is formed at its outer end with an arm i which is normally engaged by a cam j, rigidly secured to the bracket or, link J for supporting the stamp-engaging piece of the moistening device, presently described. This bracket is normally arranged, as best seen at Fig. 1, so that its cam j rocks the arm 2' upwardly out of its normal position and rocks the clampingarms 1' 2' out of registration with the grooves G G for permitting the stamp to feed to its normal position, with its advancing end interposed between said clamping-arms and the adjacent face of the platen.

As the stamp-engaging piece of the mois-. tening device moves forwardly to apply the moisture to the stamp the cam j is forced out of engagement with the arm i and the spring coiled around the bar 71 and formed integral with the outer clamping-arm Q1 rocks the pin 11 and said clamping-arms 2' 1' immediately engage the lower face of the forward end of the stamp. This action of the clamping-bars t' t' is facilitated by the continued movement of the stamp-engaging piece of the moistening device, which, as clearly seen by dotted line at Figs. 1 and 2, forces said arms i inpwardly as said en gaging piece moves upwardly to apply the moisture to the under face of the stamp.

As theplunger or operating-piece B commences its downward movement the clamping-arms 2' 11 engage the end of the stamp previously fed beneath the platen by the upward movement of the plunger or operatingpiece, and consequently the stamp is firmly held when being severed from the strip of stamps by the cutter F. As the plunger continues its downward movement the lower end of the stop H engages the top'of the letter or other article to which the stamp is to be applied, whereupon said stop is forced upwardly, and in its upward movement its arm h engages the cross-bar t of the bracket 7 and rocks said bracket upwardly until said crossbar 11 engages a stop G upon the platen G and disengages the clamping-arms it from the stamp, as clearly seen at Fig. 3. This peculiar construction of platen, stop, and clamp for facilitating the practical and efficient feeding of the stamp after it is fed by the feeder is particularly simple, practical,and effective.

The moistening device forfeeding moisture to the stamp beneath the platen G consists of a lever J, a bracket J, hinged at one extremity to the lower end of the lever J, a stamp-engaging piece J journaled in the opposite end of the bracket J, a moisture-reservoir J and a feeder or wick J 4 within the reservoir J The lever J is pivoted at, J to the outer plate A of the upright A and is formed with an engaging lug J which is movable in a slot A in the plate A and registers with an inclined cam-shaped portion 13 of the slot B in the plunger 13 and the upright portion of said slot. The stamp-engaging piece J 2 consists of a roller journaled in the free end of the bracket J and arranged normally at the right hand of the clamping-arms i t'. A spring J having one end secured to the bracket J and its other end to the lever J, constantly tends to force the'roller J upwardly, but is normally restrained from action by the engagement of the cam 9' upon said bracket with the arm i connected, as previously described, to normally rock the clamping-arms t' 01 out of operative position.- The reservoir J of my invention may be of any desirable form, size, and construction and is suit-ably secured in position by any desired construction of clamps j, and the wick or moisture-feeder J 4 is normally engaged by the roller or stamp-engaging piece J The roller or stud J 6 is arranged normally at the base of an incline B in the slot B and as the plunger descends to feed the engaging piece of the stamp-feeder out of the path of the presser-piece B and the cutter F the upper end of the lever J is rocked outwardly and its lower end is rocked inwardly, thereby disengaging the cam-face j from the arm 2' and permitting the spring J 7 to force the roller or stamp-engaging piece J 2 upwardly against the clamping-arms t t' and against the under face of the stamp Z. As the lever J reaches the limit of its movement a cam-face 0 upon the feeding-guideway O engages the free end of ICC the bracket J and rocks the same downwardly, so that the roller J passes beneath the feeding end of the guideway C and out of the path of the cutter F and the presserpiece.

As the plunger or operating-piece B assumes its normal position the roller or stampengaging piece J is retracted into engagement with the moisture-feeder J and, as previously stated, the cam j rocks the arms 1' iof the clamp I out of their operative position to permit the insertion of the forward end of the front stamp between the clamping-arms and the adjacent face of the platen G. In order to facilitate the passage between the roller J and the moisture-feeder J of envelop-flaps and other surfaces to be moistened, the receptacle J is formed with an on twardlyturned win g or guide J which guides the flap or other surface between said engaging piece and moisture-feeder. It will be evident to one skilled in this art that this is a particularly effective construction of moistener for feeding moisture to the stamps and that with each movement of the plunger the moistener returns to the feeder in the reservoir and is freshly supplied.

The operation of my invention will be readi] y perceived from the foregoing description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that the same is simple and economical in construction, durable in use, and practical and effective in operation. It is evident, however, that considerable change may be made in the relative construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Hence I do not herein specifieally limit myself to such precise detail construction and arrangement.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Astamp-attacher, comprising a reciprocating platen for supporting the stamps, a

feeder for feeding the stamps successively provided with an engaging face for engaging the stamps arranged normally at one side of the platen, and a moisture-applying device having a stamp-en gaging piece arranged normally at the other side of the platen and movable toward said engaging piece of the feeder for feeding moisture to the stamps, and a reciprocatin g operating-piece or plunger for detachably engaging the platen and forcing the same toward the article to be stamped, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A stamp-attacher comprising a reciprocating platen for supporting the stamps, an automatically-movable stop supported by the platen for engaging the stamps, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively and an operating-piece for forcing the platen toward the article to be stamped, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A stamp-attacher comprising a stop for the stamps automatically movable out of its operative position, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to said stop, and a movable clainp for engaging the stamps connected, substantially as described, to said stop,whereby the stop forces the clamp out of its operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A sta1np-attacher comprising a stop for the stamps, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to said stop, a pivoted clamp for engaging the stamps, a platen for supporting the clamp, and a spring for rocking the clamp into operative position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A stamp-attacher comprising a rectilinearly-movable stop for the stamps, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to said stop, a movable clamp for engaging the stamps, a platen for supporting the clamp, a spring for throwing the clamp into operative position, and a cam for throwing the clamp out of its operative position against the action of said spring, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A stamp-attacher comprising a platen for supporting the stamps, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to the platen, a movable clamp for engaging the stamps fed to the platen, and a hinged bracket provided with a cam rigidly secured thereto for throwing the clamp out of its operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. A stamp-attaeher comprising a platen for supporting the stamps, a reciprocating operating-piece or plunger for actuating the platen to affix the stamps, provided with a cam, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to the platen, a stamp-engaging piece movable across the face of the stamps for feeding moisture thereto, and a pivoted lever having one end provided with a projecting lug engaged with the cam and its other end connected to said engaging piece for actuating the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. A stamp-attacher comprising a platen for supporting the stamps, a feeder for feeding the stamps successively to the platen, a movable clamp for engaging the stamps fed to the platen arranged normally in an inoperative position, and a moistening device having a stamp-engaging piece for engaging said clamp and forcing the same to its operative posit-ion, substantially as and for the purpose specified. v

9. In combination, a movable operatingpiece, a guideway for receiving a strip of stamps, a cross-head movable lengthwise of the guideway, stops for limiting the movement of the cross-head, two or more independently-movable stamp-engaging pieces hinged to the cross-head and formed with an engaging projection or lug for entering the perforations between the stamps, and connections, substantially as described, between said crosshead and the movable operating-piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In combination, a movable operatingpiece, a guideway for receiving a strip of stamps, a spring within the guideway for engaging the stamp strip, a cross-head movable lengthwise of the guideway, stops for limitingthe movement of the cross-head, two or more independently-movable stamp-engaging pieces hinged to the cross-head and each formed with an engaging projection or lug for entering the perforations between the stamps, and connections, substantially as described, between said cross-head and the movable 0perating-piece, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11.. In combination, a movable operatingpiece, a guideway for receiving a strip of stamps, provided with longitudinal grooves in its wall for supporting the stamp strip, a cross-head movable lengthwise of the guideway, two or more independently -movable stamp-engaging pieces hinged to the crosshead above the wall of the guideway, for supporting the stamp strip and formed with an engaging projection or lug registering with said longitudinal grooves for entering the perforation, between the stamps, and connections, substantially as described, between said cross-head and the movable operatingpiece, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In combination, a platen for the stamps, a guideway at one side of the platen for receiving the stamps, a pivoted stamp-engaging piece having its advance end provided with a projection or lug for engaging the stamps and a weighted arm extendingin front of the projection or lug, an operating-piece or plunger for depressing the platen and affixing the stamps in position, and connections, substantially as described, between the stampengaging piece and the operating-piece or plunger for reciprocating the stamp-engaging piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In combination, a platen for the stamps, a stop movably supported upon the platen with one end projecting beneath its lower face, a bracket hinged to the platen and engaged by the stop whereby the bracket is rocked upwardly as the stop is forced upwardly, a clamping-finger secured to said bracket, and a spring for normally engaging said clamping-finger with the stamp, substantially as and for the purpose described.

14. In combination, a platen for the stamps, a stop movably supported upon the platen with one end projecting beneath its lower face, a bracket hinged to the platen and engaged by the stop, whereby the bracket is rocked upwardly as the stop is forced upwardly, a clamping-finger secured to the bracket, a spring for normally engaging said clampingfinger with the stamp, an arm connected to the clamping-finger, and a cam for rocking said arm and forcing the clamping-finger out of operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

15. In a stamp-attacher, the combination with a feeder for feeding the stamps successively, a reciprocating platen for supporting the stamps, a movable clamp for engaging the stamps fed to the platen, an operating-piece for actuating the platen, a lever connected to said operating-piece, a roller for applying moisture to the stamps fed by the feeder, and a movable arm or bracket having one end secured to the roller and the other hinged to said lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

16. In a stamp-attacher, the combination with a feeder for feeding the stamps successively, "a reciprocating platen for supporting the stamps, a movable clamp for engaging the stamps fed to the platen, an operating-piece for actuating the platen, a lever connected to said operating-piece, a moisture-containing receptacle provided with a moisture-feeder, a roller for removing the moisture from the moisture-feeder-and applying the same to the stamps fed by the stamp-feeder, and a movable arm or bracket having one end secured to the roller and the other hinged to said lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

17. In combination, a platen for the stamps,

a stop movably supported upon the platen with one end projecting beneath its lower face, a bracket hinged to the platen and engaged by the stop, whereby the bracket is rocked upwardly as the stop is forced upwardly, a clamping-finger secured to said bracket, a spring for engaging said clamping-finger with the stamp, an arm connected to the clampingfinger, a moisture-applying roller, a bracket for supporting the roller provided with a cam for engaging said arm, and means, substantially as described, between said bracket and the operating-piece, substantially as and for the purpose described.

18. The herein-described feeding device,

the same comprising a support, and a series.

of independent automatically-acting engaging pieces mounted on the support, and having their advance ends provided with engaging projections or lugs, substantially as specified.

19. The herein-described feeding device, the same comprising a support, and an automatically-movable engaging piece mounted on the support and having its advance end provided with an engaging projection or lug, and a weighted arm extending in front of said projection or arm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 22d day of November, 1892. I

GEORGE W. HEY.

WVitnesses:

CLARK H. NORTON, M. BAXTER. 

